The power of brand content revealed to NZ marketers

December 10, 2021

New research reveals that brand content has become a powerful tool in the purchase decision-making process for everyday consumers.

The research is the first empirical finding in the region explaining why content marketing is attracting increasing amounts of investment throughout the industry and its growing potency in convincing consumers to purchase.

Unveiled at Medium Rare’s virtual event The Purchase Funnel is Dead: How Brands Killed it with Content on December 9, the landmark The Power of Brand Content study confirms the value to marketers of speaking directly to customers with their own premium content.

The study, undertaken by global cultural insights and strategy consultancy firm Crowd DNA, uncovers the powerful human stories and statistics that demonstrate how content brings the purpose and value of brands to life for everyday consumers.

Lauren Quaintance, Managing Director of Storyation (a division of Medium Rare New Zealand) said the research validates why content marketing spend continues to grow.

“Over the past seven years at Medium Rare, we’ve seen content become an essential part of our clients’ marketing mix – allowing them to speak directly to their customers on their own channels, their social media pages and through paid amplification on third party media.

“Businesses and associations of all sizes and persuasions have driven engagement, loyalty and, ultimately, sales by producing their own magazines, searchable website content, YouTube channels, socially-led videos and even podcasts.

“Why? Well, content allows brands to engage their audiences directly, creating conversations, promoting advocacy and engendering loyalty – by informing and inspiring consumers based on their needs and interests. In this respect, brands have come to understand the power of operating as publishers.

“What hasn’t been well understood by brands, however, is the role content plays in consumers’ everyday lives: What do people understand and expect of brand content? How do they value it? What long-term benefits does it generate for brands? What is the cultural ROI?

“While the participants in this study are Australian, we know from working with brands in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch that there are real, tangible lessons for brands in New Zealand who are at various stages of their content marketing journey.”

Medium Rare’s Group Content Director, Nick Smith, said rapid and recent shifts in consumer expectations, accelerated through COVID, are driving demand for brand content.

“In a post-COVID world, exploring new ideas and experiences has never been more important, and brand content is becoming key to facilitating new discoveries. 70 per cent of consumers agree that brand content helped them discover new brands and three quarters expect brands to deliver relevant content,” he said.

The Power of Brand Content reveals that brand content now sits at the very centre of what the research defines as a new purchase cycle, with the ability to consistently connect a consumer to a brand. Brand content is a key entry point to a brand ecosystem for 70 per cent of consumers. It aids in the consideration or evaluation of brands with two in three agreeing that brand content makes it easier to decide what brands/products to buy. 84 per cent took some form of action (buy, share, follow, save) and importantly, 34 per cent purchased a product, after engaging with a recent piece of brand content.

But its influence on the purchase cycle does not stop there. The research finds that brand content can drive advocacy for a brand, with 48 per cent feeling proud to share a great piece of content that comes from a brand they like. It also aids brand loyalty, facilitating an ongoing emotional connection and affinity with brands. Six in 10 look forward to receiving content from brands they like.

One in two consumers believe staying connected to a brand through its content makes them feel part of a community. One in five say brand content adds value to their everyday life, and 70 per cent are proud to support a brand that aligns to their values and beliefs.

Unfortunately, only 34 per cent of consumers surveyed believe brands are truly meeting their content needs, opening up a huge opportunity for brands and content marketers to improve their offering.

The Power of Brand Content research, conducted by Crowd DNA, consists of three phases: cultural landscaping to uncover social conversations around brand content, remote mission-based research to uncover the role of brand content in consumers’ everyday lives, and a quantitative study of 1,000 consumers to substantiate the findings.

To learn more about The Power of Brand Content study, click here or contact Nick Smith, Group Content Director, Medium Rare Content Agency.